C Spire Business Solutions announced on Monday the release of a Push-to-Talk (PTT) solution. Because of several features that increase efficiency, it can be a great communications tool for any large organization or business.
The IP-based PTT solution consists of an app that runs on Android or Blackberry phones, along with the hardware infrastructure needed to run it. It will be available on Ericsson and Kodiak networks.
A number of group-related features provided with PTT help users manage their communications more efficiently.
When admins change contact lists or groups, the changes are updated on all phones in the system. Users do not have to do these updates manually. Special talk groups limit the scope of messages to only those people who need to receive it.
Group calling, lists of available callers and contact list filers are other additional group-related PTT features.
Features specific to PTT calls include a display of the current talker during a PTT call and the ability to hold a PTT call when a regular cell call comes in.
In addition to the aforementioned group and call list management features, admins have some other powerful features. Individual phones can be locked down so that users cannot modify their contact lists, giving companies better centralized control. Apps can be managed in a similar fashion. All administration can be done from a centralized app that runs on any browser.
Based in Ridgeland, Miss., C Spire is the largest privately owned wireless company in the U.S. A large part of the company's identity deals with the personalization that it offers individual end users—a virtual contradiction to the organization centric PTT solution.
Several apps offered by C Spire provide personalization in one way or another.
The SCOUT app asks a user a few simple questions and recommends apps and entertainment. The content of past downloads also figures into SCOUT's recommendation-generating process. A rewards program known as PERCS and social media integration also allow users some custom-tailored features.
If there is one thing that makes C Spire’s PTT solution a solid product, it’s the centralization that gives companies have greater control over their communications assets. With its personalization of individual accounts, the company has taken a different approach to wireless service. Presently, C Spire covers only four states in the U.S., a limited market for technology. For customers who want personalization and businesses that want PTT like what C Spire provides, their hope is in one of three possibilities: move to the South, hope that C Spire expands well beyond its current market, or hope that a national carrier can incorporate similar features into its wireless solutions.
Edited by
Alisen Downey 
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